Occupation Centered Lifestyle Interventions (5 cr)

Evaluation scale

Pass/Fail

Content scheduling

The theoretical part of the course will take place in September-October 2025. You can work on the written assignments until December. The practical part will take place in January-March 2026 as a Toivo Group instructor. Toivo Groups will start during New Student Orientation Week in week 1 at the JAMK campus. If necessary, you can participate remotely. Toivo Groups will take place either remotely or through contact meetings, depending on the availability of the group members and the instructors.

Objective

Purpose of the course
In this course you will learn to understand the connection between health, activity and lifestyle. You will learn ways how to support lifestyles within your own profession. You will apply these way in authentic guiding situations.

Competences
Client competence in health and social care
Competence in occupational therapy process and clinical reasoning


Learning outcomes
After completing this course you will know how health, activity and lifestyle are related to each other. You will understand, how to support lifestyles by using your own professional theory base and evidence based knowledge. You will be able to apply this knowledge in authentic guiding situations by examing the clients´ needs and supportig them to obey health promoting lifestyles.

Content

In this course, you get to know the relationship between health, occupation and lifestyle. You consider the meaning of supporting lifestyle’s as a part of social and health care procedure in your own profession. You use actual evidence-based- and research material in the process. You familiarize yourself with evidence-based programs that support lifestyle such as Lifestyle Redesign-program. You deepen your understanding of how to motivate your client with transtheoretical model of change and motivational interviewing approach. You become familiar with using occupation and technology as tools for change. You plan and carry out lifestyle guidance situations where you use occupation-based methods.

Location and time

Teaching takes place online. Practical group meetings can take place at school, at a self-organised location or remotely.

Teaching methods

The course is divided into theoretical and practical parts. In the theory part, you will participate in interactive webinars, watch recordings and familiarise yourself with the materials. You will study independently and in groups. In groups, you will have a meeting exercise and a reading circle at the times indicated in the timetable. In the practical part, you will design and implement a minimal group facilitation process. At the end of the course, you will summarise what you have learned in an essay combining literature and practice.

Feedback will be collected at mid-term.

Student workload

Theory 3cr workload:
Participation in webinars & viewing of recordings and related assignments 27h
Meeting practice (including preparation and meeting) 4h
Theoretical background of the group Task 23h
Reading circle (including reading materials, meetings, video + commentary) 27h

Practical part 2cr workload:
Group planning and implementation 40,5h
Planning and designing the coursework, planning and planning the project (group work) 13,5h

Assessment criteria, approved/failed

Pass: You show understanding of the relationship between health, occupation and lifestyle. You use reasoning when examining the meaning of supporting lifestyle from your own profession’s perspective as well as in social- and healthcare overall. You plan and carry out theory- and occupation- based lifestyle guidance. You show that you can evaluate your own professional function by using theory.
Fail: You cannot show understanding of of the relationship between health, occupation and lifestyle. Examining the meaning of supporting lifestyle as a part of social and health care procedure is not justifiable. Evaluation of your own professional function is inadequate.

Qualifications

When entering this course you must have basic knowledge of the theoretical principles of occupational therapy and the therapy process. You must be familiar with enabling occupation and participation through the means of occupational therapy. You must have the know-how of working with clients in social-, health and rehabilitation sector enhancing well-being and agency. You must know the central principles of leading a group and how to use occupation and creative activities as a mean of goal- directed group activity.

Further information

Course assessment is based on self-assessment, peer assessment and feedback from the teacher.